1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a data storage case having a write protect assembly. This invention more specifically relates to a disk cartridge, having a recording medium, such as a disk-shaped recording medium, including an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk or a magnetic disk, accommodated in a container, such as a cartridge and having a movable device therein for indicating the write or protect state of the recording medium.
2. Description of the Background
There has so far been utilized a disk cartridge which is comprised of a disk, such as an optical disk or a magneto-optical disk, which is accommodated within a cartridge, and on which are recorded information signals, such as data signals or video signals.
This type of the disk cartridge, such as is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,460,930, is provided with a write/protect member which the recording medium protects from inadvertent erasure of previously recorded information signals, which is caused by a mistaken recording operation on the disk. This write/protect member is movably provided within the cartridge. By moving the write/protect member, the mating detection elements provided at the write/protect member so as to be detected by the write/protect detection assembly provided on the recording and/or reproducing apparatus on which the disk cartridge is mounted may be selectively moved between the first and the second positions within the detection hole in the cartridge. With the mating detection elements in the first position, recording of the information signals on the recording medium is inhibited, whereas, with the mating detection elements in the second position, recording of information signals on the recording medium is enabled. Thus, the write/protect detection assembly on the recording and/or reproducing apparatus detecting that the mating detection elements of the write/protect member are in the first or the second position results in the selection of whether the recording operation may or may not be made by the recording and/or reproducing apparatus.
Meanwhile, the conventional write/protect assembly provided on the disk cartridge accommodating an optical or a magneto-optical disk on which information signals can be recorded is so designed and constructed that the mating detection elements of the write/protect member face that flat side or surface of the main body of the cartridge which is confronted by the signal recording surface of the disk and into which is intruded the disk driving apparatus of the recording and/or reproducing apparatus.
With the recording and/or reproducing apparatus supporting a disk cartridge provided with a write/protect assembly, in which the mating detection elements of the write/protect member are exposed only on the flat side of the main body of the cartridge, constraints are imposed on the mounting position of the write/protect detection assembly. Above all, with the disk cartridge in which the mating detection elements are exposed only the side or surface of the main body of the cartridge into which the disk driving apparatus is intruded when the disk cartridge is attached to the recording and/or reproducing apparatus, the write/protect detection assembly need be provided in the vicinity of the disk driving apparatus. With the optical recording and/or reproducing device, an optical pickup apparatus is provided on the side of the recording and/or reproducing apparatus on which the disk driving apparatus is mounted. However, there is not sufficient space for the write/protect detection assembly on the side of the apparatus where various other devices are mounted simultaneously. Thus it becomes difficult to get the write/protect detection assembly incorporated into the recording and/or reproducing apparatus, so that constraints are imposed on the arrangement of the various devices of the recording and/or reproducing apparatus and hence difficulties are raised in connection with designing. Also, inasmuch as there is not sufficient space on the side of the apparatus where the disk driving apparatus is provided, constraints are imposed on the lead-out position of the lead wires for outputting detection signals from the write/protect detection assembly and hence difficulties are also presented in assembling.
On the other hand, when the mating detection elements are provided for facing only the surface into which the disk driving apparatus is intruded, the write/protect detection assembly is provided on the same side of the disk cartridge as the disk driving apparatus. Thus the write/protect state of the recording cannot be detected unless the disk cartridge is attached at a predetermined position to the recording and/or reproducing apparatus. Hence, when information signals are recorded, or when a disk cartridge for which recording is inhibited is inserted erroneously, not only prompt exchange of the disk cartridge cannot be made, but the apparatus or the disk cartridge may be injured due to forced manipulation of the recording and/or reproducing apparatus.